In this recipe, soft crab meat is cased in a light, crisp breadcrumb coat to give the dish a fabulous mix of textures. The fresh, crushed peas are the perfect accompaniment to this oriental twist on a chip shop classic.
300g/10oz brown crab meat
300g/10oz white crab meat
1 stalk lemongrass
1 deseeded chilli
a handful coriander, chopped
1 lime, zest and juice
100g/4oz breadcrumbs
1 egg
Mix together the two crab meats in a bowl. Crush the lemongrass so that the harder outer layers split, and discard them. Finely chop the lemongrass, chilli and the spring onions. Tip them all into the crabmeat along with some chopped coriander. Add the lime zest and juice. Bind the mixture with the breadcrumbs and an egg.
Now to make each patty, take a small palm-full of the mixture and delicately nudge it into a cake shape in your hand. Chill them for 30 minutes, which will have a slight marinating effect as well as making the cakes firmer and more manageable.
Meanwhile boil the frozen peas for five minutes, drain and then blitz in a food processor with some mint and a generous glug of olive oil, which will loosen the mixture as well as giving it a healthy shine.
In a frying pan get your oil nice and hot to a point where it is almost shimmering. Gently lay each cake in the pan. The less prodding here the better as it could cause them to dismantle. After 6-8 minutes flip them over in one confident swift action, and let the other side sizzle for the same amount of time.
When crisp and golden serve on a bed of the mushy peas.
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